Centralized traffic controlling system



Ap 1932- D. F. DE LONG ET AL CENTRALIZED TRAFFIC CONTROLLING SYSTEM Filed Aug. 25, 1930 ATTORNEY ZOHEQPQ m u S a mud m umupm F III. l l L MUFIO QONFPZOU Patented Apr. 5, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENTWOFFICE DAR-R013 IF. DE LONG, OF ROCHESTER, AND RAY PLANE, OF PITTSFORD, NEW. YORK, ASSIGNORS IO GENERAL RAILWAY SIGNAL COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK CENTRALIZED TRAFFIC CONTROLLING SYSTEM Application filed August 23, 1930. Serial No. 477,364.

This invention relates to centralized traffic controlling systems for railroads, and more particularly pertains to means employed for interrelating the operation of a plurality of traflic controlling devices with the operation of the communication part of such a system.

In one type of centralized traffic control system, a communication system is employed to transmit controls from a central control oflice to any particular way station under the su )cIVlSlOll of an operator in the central ofiice by employing station selecting means; and similarly transmitting indications of the position of the various traffic controlling devices at each station to the control oflice from one station at a time. In such a centralized traffic control system, where only one way station may be in communication with the control otfice at one time, it is necessary to provide means for storing those indications or conditions at each station, which are of a temporary nature, until that station is per mitt-ed or caused to be in communication with the central control ofiice.

It is further desirable, that a communication system of the selective type shall be normally at rest in order to eliminate wear on the various pieces of operating apparatus and to reduce the amount of power consumed.

With such a communication system which is normally at rest, it is necessary to provide means at each way station which is effective to initiate the communication part of the system into operation for each new indication or condition present at the associated station in order to insure its transmission to the control office.

In view of the above and other considerations, the present invention proposes to provide means for storing temporary indications or conditions at the way stations of a selective typo centralized traffic control systom. it is further proposed to provide means for intern-relating the operation of the traflic controlling devices at each station in a manner to capable of initiating a selective system normally at rest for each new indication or condition at that station, regardless of the meous or sequential operation of the various; devices.

Other objects, purposes and characteristic features of the present invention will be in part obvious from the accompanying drawing and in part pointed out as the description of the invention progresses.

In describing the invention in detail, ref erence will be made to the accompanying drawing which illustrates in a diagrammatic manner the apparatus and circuits as employed at a single track switch in accordance with the present invention, with a communication system indicated as connecting the traflic controlling devices at that switch with a control office.

The traffic controlling devices located at a single track switch TS are grouped together as comprising a typical way station with a transmitting and receiving equipment of the communication system; but it is to be understood that the present invention is adaptable for use with any number of track switches, or any number of other devices which are desired to be grouped together as one way station from which indications are to be transmitted and at which controls may or may not be received.

With reference to the accompanying draw ing, the railroad track switch TS is shown as connecting a diverging route to a main track. This track switch is provided with the usual detector track section TK havin a track relay T and a track battery 5. The usual governing signals 1-1A and 2-2A are provided for controlling the trafiic over the various routes made possible by the track switch TS. These signals are preferably controlled in part by traffic conditions and in part by an operator located at the central control office by means of the communication system associated therewith. The signals 11A have associated therewith contacts 6 and 7 respectively which are closed only when those signals are at stop. Similarly, the signals 2-2A have associated therewith contacts 8 and 9 respectively which are closed only when those signals are at stop. These contacts 6, 7, 8 and 9 are connected in series with a neutral relay designated M which is energized when all of the signals are at stop and which is deenergized when any one of the signals have been caused to give a clear indication in response to the control of the operator.

The track switch TS has associated therewith point detector contacts PD which may be operated by any suitable type mechanism, such for example as shown in the patent to C. S. Bushnell, Patent No. 1,517,236, dated November 25, 1924:. Such point detector contacts have been illustrated by movable contacts 10 and 11 which are operable to either of three positions a, Z) and in correspondence with the position of the track switch TS. In other words, the movable contacts 10 and 11 assume positions a when the track switch TS is in a normal locked position, positions 0 when the track switch TS is in a reverse locked position, or positions 5 whenever the track switch is not in such extreme positions and locked. These point detector contacts PD are employed to control a polar neutral relay designated WP for indicating the position of a track switch TS.

A stick relay STR is employed to store the deenergized condition of the track relay T. Such storing means is necessary as a train may pass over the detector tracksection TK before the communication part of the system is able to transmit indication of the occupied condition. 7

A chan e relay CH and a change storing relay CHS is provided to suitably store in dication of the fact that one or all of the traffic controlling devices, such for example, as switch TS, any one of the signals 11A or 22A, or the occupancy of the detector track section, has changed conditions since the last transmission of the'indications associated with those devices.

The communication part of the system has been indicated as including a control office designated by a dotted rectangle, transmitting and receiving equipment designatedby a dotted rectangle at the typical way station,

and suitable line wires including a stepping and control line, a message line and a common return line. The line wires may extend to as many other similar way stations as desired tobe controlled over one such communication system. The communication system may be of any suitable type, such for example as shown in the pending application of N. D; Preston and EB. Hitchcock, Ser. No. 455,304, filed May 24, 1930. It is to be understood, however, that the specific form of the communication system is not .essential to the functioning of the means embodying the present invention, but rather the means embodying the present invention is an adjunct of and may be employed advantageously with any communication system which is of the selective type and is normally at rest.

Included in the dotted rectangle indicating the transmitting and receiving equipment at the way station are located a transfer relay transmission of the associated indications.

Typical control circuits for these relays TR and SI and typical operations thereof may be had by reference to the above mentioned application Ser. No. 155,304, but for convenience and simplicity in disclosing the present invention have been omitted without in any way detracting from the clearness with which the functions and operations of the means embodying the present invention may be un derstood.

It is believed that the operation and usefulness of the present invention will be best understood by further description being set forth from the standpoint of operation when subjected to various conditions which may arise in practice.

Operation,

lVith the communication part of the centralized traf ic control system at rest, the relays TR and ST are deenergized. Also, with no train upon the detector track section TK the track relay T is energized.

lVith the track switch TS in a normal locked position, the movable point detector contacts 10 and 11 are in positions a completing a circuit for the relay lVP from the. positive terminal of a suitable source of electrical potential indicated as (-1-), through movable contact 10 in position a, wire 12, winding of relay P, wire 13, movable contact 11 in position a, to the opposite terminal of the suitable source indicated as Thus, he neutral contact of the relay lVP is maintained in an energized position and the polar contact remains in a right hand extreme position.

lVith the signals 1-1A and 22A at stop, the relay M is energized from the positive terminal of a suitable source of electrical potential indicated as through Contact 7, wire 14, contact 6, wire 15, contact 9, wire 16, contact 8, wire 17, winding of relay M, to the opposite terminal of the suitable source indicated as At the end of the last operation, when the system completed the transmission of all indi cations associated with this way station, the change relay CH was left energized through a stick circuit completed from the positive terminal of a suitable source of electrical potential indicated as (I-), through wire 18, front contact 19 of relay M, wires 20 and 21, front contact 22 of relay .VP, wires 23 and 24, front contact 25 of track relay T, wir a and 27, back con'ta 28 of relay STE, wire 29, front contact 30 of relay CH, wire 31, lower winding of relay CH, to the opposite terminal of the suitable source indicated as til;

Let us assume that the operator clears the signal 1 by the transmission 01 a suitable c trol over the communi ation stem. This results in the deenergizat-ion of the relay M at open contact (3 a" "con the signal 1 moves from its stop pow m. The tin'ie COl'li lLll'IlQCl by the armature ol the relay M in me from an energized position to a deer] 125 position. i suliicient to cause an aoprec elapse or time betu en the opening or 11 contact 19 of relay lit and the cl back contact 19. This causes the stick circu. for the relay Cl-l to be temporarily opened for a suihcicnt time to allow the contacts of the relay CH, which is quick ac 7' deenergized positions belore back conta is closed. As the front contact 30 is incudeu in the stick circuit heretofore traced), relay CH remains deenergized, until the fact that a change has occurred in the in: icati storing relays Cit-TS.

l l iththe relays CH and id drone-nixed a circuit completed for energ izii storing relay CH3 from the po ire nal of a suitable source of electrical p' t ii'ldicated through wire 2352, back contact of relay M, wir 20 and 21, front contact of relay VFP, wires and El, front contact of relay T wire. l

baclr contact .38 of relay \Vlic contact out relay Clii, wire 23b, upp 111dmg; o'l change storing relay CHE, e o1 minal of the euitable source 113C itezl as t). This stick c1 rcuit is completed until both of the relays TR and Ell have been er 'iacd at the: l indie oi: the fact that equipment located at this 0 transmission or the ass ciated llltllit t As soon as the change storing); relay CHF is energized, a pick-up circuit is completed for the change relay CH from the positive teri'ninal of a suitable source of electrical potential indicated as through either the contact 3 lor or both in multiple, through wires 36 and it front contact ll of relay (i l-lg, wire 42, upper winding ct change relay 'Clrl, to the opposite terminal of. the suitable source indicated as The cnergization of the change storii re lay CHS causes the communication syneu'i to he initiated into oneration by reason of the chasing of front contact which completes a 2U circuit through wires l4: and resulting in the initiation of the transmitting equipment.

When the communication system is operated to select or condition this way station for the transmission of its indications, the relay TR and SI are both energized opening the stick circuit of the relay CHS and the pick-up circuit of the relay CH at back contacts 34 and 35. The change storing relay CBS is deenergized by reason of the fact that its pickup circuit is opened at back contact 30 of the relay CH; but the change relay Cl-l remains energized as its stick circuit is now completed including front contact 30 and back contact 19 of relay l I. Thus, the change relay CH is resensitized, that is, it is conditioned to again be deenergized and result in another initiation of the system for another select-ion of this way station.

Considering that the communication system has selected this station for the transmission of its indications, suitable impulses are transmitted to the control office in accord ance with the contacts of the indicating relays M, fl? and STR through wires l6, 47 and l8 respectively in a manner distinctive of the particular communication system employed. lVith contact 49 of relay M in a deenergized position, an indication is transmitted informing the operator at the control ollice that one of the signals at this station is giving a clear indication. Similarly, with the polar contact 50 of the relay WP in a right hand )osition, indication is transmitted that the track switch TS is in a normal extreme position, while indication of the unoccupied con dition of the detector track section TX is transmitted by reason of open front Contact 51 of relay STE. After these indications have been transmitted and such others as may be included with such a way station in accordance with the demands of practice, the communieation system returns to its normal at rest condition and the relays T R and SI assume deenergizcd positions.

"With the signal 1 cleared, we may assume that a train passes onto the detector track section TK deenergizing the track relay T. The deenergization of the track relay T opens front co' tact 25 and closes back contact 25 which momentarily opens the stick circuit of the change relay CH for a sufficient time to cause its contacts to assume deenergized positions. The deenergiraation of the change relay CH results in tire energization of the change storingrelay CHS which in turn results in its own energization, all in a manner as heretofore explained.

The decn-ergization of the track relay T causes the storiznr track relay to be energized from the positive terminal of a suitable source of electrical potential indicated as ('-I-), through back contact 52 of track relay T, wire 53, upper winding of relay STlt, tothe opposite terminal of the suitable source indicated as With the change storing relay CHS energized, a stick circuit is completed for the relay STR as soon as its contacts assume energized positions. This stick circuit is completed from the posi tive terminal of a suit-able source of electrical potential indicated as through front contact 5% of relay CHS, Wires and 56, front contact 57 of relay STR, wire 58, lower winding of relay STE, to the opposite terminal of the suitable source indicated as The energization of the relay STR opens back contact 28 and closes front contact '28, but this does not affect the relay CI-I as it is now energized through its pick-up circuit as heretofore pointed out. Should the train pass off of the detector track section TK prior to the selection of this way station and the transmission of the associated indications, indication of the occupied condition of the track circuit TK is insured of transmission as front contact 51 of relay STE is maintained closed with the relay STE energized through its stick circuit including front contact 5l of the change storing relay CI-IS. In this connection, it is noted that although the change storing relay CHS is deenergized as soon as the station is conditioned for transmitting (relays TR and SI energized) the relay STE is maintained energized due to the closing of front contact 3% of relay TR which completes a second stick circuit for relay STR from the positive terminal of a suitable source of electrical potential indicated as through front contact 3% of the relay TR, wires 59 and 56, front contact 5? of relay STR, wire 58, lower, winding of relay STR, to the opposite terminal of the suitable source indicated as lVhen the communication system has completed the transmission of the associated indications, the relays TR and SI are deenergized and the system returns to its normal at rest condition.

\Vith the relays CI-IS and TR deenergized, the stick circuit of the relay STR is completely opened, which results in its deenergization if the train has passed off detector track section Ti: and the track relay T is energized. This deenergization of the relay STR causes the contact 28 to move from an energized to a deenergized position momentarily deenergizing the stick circuit of the change relay CH. The deenergization of the change relay CH causes another selection of this Way station to accomplish the transmission of suitable indications indicative of the fact that the train has passed off the track section TK. Such operation will not be described in detail as it obviously similar to the operations alreacy described and will be readily understood bythe returning of signal 1 to a danger or stop position will be readily understood by analogy to those operations already pointed out. In a similar manner the operation of the track switch TS causes the energization of the change storing relay CH5; and transmission of its associated indication by reason of the position assumed by contact 50.

It is evident from the above description that regardless of the number of traffic controlling devices, or the associated indicating devices, that assume new positions at the same time, the change relay CE is deenergized and the change storing relay CHS is energized resulting in transmission of the associated new indications. 'In other words, the functioning of the change relay CH is dependent upon the momentary opening of its stick circuit, which momentary opening is only prolonged by sequential operation of the indicating devices; and the simultaneous operation of the indicating devices momentarily op ens the stick circuit equal to the time period consumed by the slowest operating indicating device. In this connection, it should be noted that the relay CI-Iis a quick acting relay, while the indicating devices STE, WVP and M are comparatively slow, that is, the relay CI-I is capable of opening its front con tact 30 (when deenergized) before the contacts of the indicating devices can move to opposite positions.

Thus, a system has been provided for storing temporary indication conditions and for storing or indicating the fact that a change in indication conditions has occurred which changed condition is registered regardless of the simultaneous or sequential operation of the various associated traffic controlling de vices.

Having described a system for interrelating the operations of the various traliic controlling devices at a particular station of a selective type centralized traffic control system, it is to be understood that this form is selected to facilitate in the disclosure of the invention rather than to limit the number of forms which it may assume; and, it is to be further understood that various modifica tions, adaptations and alterations may be ap plied to the specific form shown to meet the requirements of practice, without in any manner departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention except as limited by the appended claims.

Having described our invention, we now claim 1. In a centralized traflic control system for railroads, a plurality of trai'lic controlling devices at a particular location, and means for registering a change in condition of any one or all of said plurality of devices, said means comprising a stick relay, a stick circuit normally closed for energizing said stick relay, and means momentarily opening' said Cit stick circuit upon a change in condition of any one or all of said plurality of devices.

2. in a centralized traffic control system :tor railroads, a plurality of traiiic controlling devices each of said devices having associated therewith a contact momentarily opened upon a change in the condition of the respective device, a stick relay, a stick circuit for said stick relay which includes said momcntarily opened contacts in series, whereby said stick relay is deenergized upon a change in the condition of any one of said plurality of devices, means for registering the deenergized condition of said stick relay, a pick-up circuit for said stick relay, and means automatically closing said pick-up circuit upon the actuation of said registering means.

3. In a centralized traific control system for railroads, a plurality of traffic controlling devices, an indicating relay associated with each of said. devices for indicating the conditions thereof, each of said relays having on ergized and deenergized contacts a stick relay, and a stick circuit for said stick relay, said stick circuit being normally closed through either the energized or the deenergized contacts of each of said indicating relays, whereby said stick relay is deenergized when any one of said indicating relays is energized or deenergized, and whereby said stick relay is deenergized regardless of the simultaneous or successive energizations and dccucrgizations of said indicating relays.

4i. In a centralized traffic control system for railroads, a railroad track switch having a detector track section and signals governing tratfic thereover, means indicating the occupancy of said detector track section,

means indicating the position of said track sw1tch, means indicating the clear or stop condition of said signals, a communication system for transmitting the condition of said indicating means when initiated into operation. and means for initiating said communication system comprising a stick relay, a stick circuit for said stick relay, and means momentarily opening said stick circuit upon a change in condition of said indicating means.

5. In a centralized traiiic control system for railroads, a plurality of trafiic controlling devices, a control office, a communication system for transmitting indications of the conditions of said trailic controlling devices to said control oilice, initiating means for causing said communication system to operate, a change relay having a stick circuit normally closed, contact means for momentarily opening said stick circuit upon a change in condition of any one or all of said trailic controlling devices to thereby deenergize said change relay, a change storing relay, a pick-up circuit for said change storing relay closed when said change relay is deenergized, a stick circuit completed for said change storing relay when it is picked up only if said communication system is not transmitting indications from said plurality of traflic controlling devices, means causing said initiatingmeans to be effective when said change storing relay is picked up, and a pickup circuit for said change relay closed when said change storing relay is picked up if said communication system is not transmitting indications from said plurality of devices, whereby said change storing relay is deenergized upon transmission 01' the indication from said plurality of trailic controlling devices thereby reseusitizing said change relay.

6. In a centralized traffic control system for railroads, a detector track section, a track relay indicating the occupancy oi said de tector track section, a change storing relay picked up upon a change in condition of said track relay, and means storing the condition of said track relay until said change storing relay is deenergized, whereby said change storing relay is again picked up.

7. In a centralized traliic control system For ie'ailroads, a track section having a track indicating the occupancy thereof, a selective commun icatiou system for transmit-- ting, when. initiated, indication of the occupancy of said track segtion in accordance relay, means for initiating unic. tion system, means for actuinitiatii'ig means upon change in the 1 )snion of said track relay, whereby indication of either the occupied or unoccupied condition of said track section will be trans mitted, means storing the condition of said track relay when said track section is occupied until said communication system is conditioned for transmitting an indication thereot regardless of vz'icancy of said track section prior to the time wl said communication s stem is conditioned, and means operated by said storing means for actuating said ii'iitiating means upon the restoring to normal oi said storing means, whereby indication of the unoccupied condition of said track section will be transmitted.

8. In a centralized tratlic control system for railroads, a selective communication systern, a plurality of traiiilc controlling devices, a change relay storing a change in the condition of said tral'fic controlling devices, a condition storing relay conditioned by said tra'l'lic controlling devices until said selective communication system has been effectively operated to transmit indications of said devices, means cancelling said change storing relay and said condition storing relay when said communication s stem is con diticned to transmit, and means actuating said change storing relay upon the cancelling of said condition storing relay.

9. In combination, a quick acting relay having a. stick circuit, a plurality of devices, and means momentarily opening said stick circuit upon a change in condition of any one of said devices or all of said devices simnl-- taneously.

In a centralized control system iailroads, a selective communication sysiem, a traiiic controlling device, a change relay actuated by change in the condition of said ti c vation system to transmit indica- 10 tions, :1 condition storing rela i being enerd r traific controll device and energized until ,[d selective ystem has been effectively ns cancelling said change r wiien said connminication system is conditioned to transmit indi ations of said traific controlling device, means deenergizing said ondition storing relay when said nonlnication system has operated to transndicatians of said traffic controll cevice, and "in-cans actuating said change relay upon the cancelling of said condition storing relay. i

11. In a centralized traific control system for railroads, a control ofiice, a field station having a track section, a selective communication system connecting said control oilice and said field station said system being capable of operating through cycles of operation for transmitting indications to said con trol oifice from said field station, a track relay indicating the occupancy of said track section, a storing relay for storing the occupied condition of said track section, initiating means for said communication system capable of being actuated either by said track relay or by said storing means aid initiating means operating to initiate said communication system into a cycle of operation, and means including said communication system for transmitting indication of the occupancy of said track section as repeated by said storing relay.

12. In a centralized traflic control system for railroads, a communication system connecting a control oflice with a field station, a traiiic controlling device at said field station, means storing the condition of said traific controlling device, means for transmitting indications over said communication system in accordance with said storing means when said communication system is initiated into operation, and means independently actuated either by said trafiic controlling device or said storing means for initiating said communication system.

13. In a centralized traific control system for railroads, a communication system connecting a control ofice and a field station, a traific relay at said field station, a storing relay having a pick-up circuit closed when said track relay is deenergized, a stick circuit for said storing relay closed until said communication system has transmitted indication of the energized condition of said storing. relay, means causing said communication system to trans mit indication of the energized or deenergized condition of said storing relay upon a change in the condition of either or both said track relay and said storing relay.

14. In a centralized trafiic'control system for railroads, a'normally atrest selective communication system connecting a control ofiice and a plurality of field stations, station selecting means indicating at each field station when said control oflice is in communication with that particular field station, means at each field station for initiating said system when actuated, at least one traflic controlling device at each station, means for actuating said initiating means at a particular station upon a change in condition of the traiiic controlling device at that station, and means at each station in part controlled by said trafiic controlling device and in part by said station selecting means at that station for actuating said initiating means at that station.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures.

DARROL F. DE LONG. RAY PLANK. 

